A Long Shot Comes Through

Scott Fusco may have a future as a hockey player, but not as a bookmaker.

Fusco, the Harvard hockey team's all-time leading scorer and a member of the United States Olympic Team this year, made a bet with fellow Harvard man and Olympian Lane MacDonald.

Fusco said Andy Janfaza, a Harvard forward, would not score 10 goals this year. MacDonald said he would. They laid down $10.

"Unbeknowst to me, they made this bet last summer," Janfaza says. "I talked to Lane on Christmas Eve. I found out about the bet. I had two goals at the time, but I had just been [moved up to the first line]. I had this feeling..."

Today, Scott Fusco is $10 poorer.

Janfaza, a senior from Natick, eclipsed the 10-goal mark a month ago in a 3-1 Crimson victory over Cornell. Since, he has knocked in three more goals. He also leads the team in go-ahead goals with seven.

Go-ahead goals, as Janfaza is quick to point out, don't always mean big goals. You can score the first goal of the game, and get credited with a go-ahead goal.

But A.J.--as he is affectionately called by teammates and coaches--has scored some go-ahead goals that were also big goals.

In December, Janfaza jumped out of the penalty box and fired a shot past Cornell goalie Corrie D'Alessio to give Harvard a 2-1 edge early in the third period. Harvard won, 3-1.

Then, in the Harvard-Cornell showdown here four weeks ago, his short-handed goal also broke a 1-1 tie in the third period. Harvard won that game, too, 3-1.

"[Janfaza's play] is a pleasant surprise," senior defenseman Don Sweeney says. "I don't think there's a player in the world who thought he'd score 13 goals this year. He has been one of the elder players who's really come out hard."

Janfaza hasn't always found the net. In his three previous seasons, he recorded 11 goals. Even now he occasionally misfires. Last Friday against Clarkson, Janfaza skated down the right side of the ice and let loose at the Knights' empty net.

He missed.

"If that had happened last year, or the year before, it really would have affected me," Janfaza says. "I laughed it off. [Harvard forward] Teddy Donato said I could have skated in, put the puck in my mouth and spit it into the goal."

For three years, Janfaza lingered the shadows of some big-name players. MacDonald and Allen Bourbeau, who each took a year off to play in the Olympics this year, led the team in scoring last season. Tim Barakett was a big gun in 1987.

"You've got to keep it all in perspective," Janfaza says. "Lane MacDonald had 37 goals last year. Tim Barakett had 25. Al Bourbeau had 19 power-play goals. I have 13."

He smiles. "I'm happy, though..."

Harvard's Associate Coach, Ronn Tomassoni, calls Janfaza "a real team player." He also calls him "The Flying Italian," which is a misnomer, since Janfaza is Jewish.

"My recruiting story..." Janfaza begins. "Ronn thought I was Italian. Ronn is Italian and there were a bunch of Italians on the team when I was being recruited."

Janfaza adds: "Ronn didn't find out until pre-season [a year later] when I asked out of a practice. He said, 'Why?' I told him, and he asked me why I hadn't told him earlier."

Janfaza wanted to observe a Jewish holiday.

Next year, Janfaza plans to try his hand (and skates) at playing hockey in Europe. He and his roommates. Harvard Captain Steve Armstrong might make a go of the European scene together.

Tonight, though, Janfaza will turn his attention where all the Crimson players' attention will be focused: on RPI. Harvard owes the Engineers one.

And Scott Fusco owes Lane MacDonald $10. Janfaza won't get anything out of the transaction. Except, maybe, a little satisfaction.